Table 1

Summary of studies included in the review

Authors (date) and country	Samples	Baseline characteristics	NCCP diagnostic tests
Aikens et al (1999) USA24	NCCP=80	46% male Mean age 50.3 years (SD=13.3)	12–23 h of intensive observation and evaluation, including cardiac monitoring, enzyme analysis, toxicology screen, and stress echocardiography. 7% also underwent cardiac catheterisation
Demiryoguranet al (2006) Turkey25	NCCP=157	43.3% male Mean age 41.6 years (SD=11.7, range 18–64)	ECG, chest x-ray, followed up in ED for 6–8 h. Does not explicitly state what tests done but does refer to cardiac markers. Further investigation done for other non-cardiac causes when necessary
Eken et al (2010) Turkey26	NCCP=194 CCP=130	67% male Mean age 50.5 years (SD=14)	Serial ECG and cardiac enzymes for 6 h after symptom onset
Eslick and Talley (2008) Australia27	NCCP=126 CCP=71	61.4% male Mean age 58 years (SD=14) NCCP: 54.0% male CCP: 75.6% male	x-ray, troponin and CKMB, BP, temp, resting ECG and exercise stress test. Judgement made by physician
Fagring et al (2008),20 Jerlock et al (2008)5 Sweden	NCCP=231 Population-based controls=1069	NCCP: 55% male, mean age 46.6 years (SD=11.5) Controls: 46% male, mean age 47.9 years (SD=12.3)	Patients were assessed and treated ‘according to the routines of the ED’
Kuijpers et al (2003) The Netherlands22	NCCP=884	Data not available on full sample. Patients scoring above 8 on HADS for anxiety OR depression 53.8% male, mean age 55.8 years (SD=13.03)	Full history, physical exam, and ECG for all patients. Cardiac enzymes and troponin, exercise stress test, echocardiogram and x-ray as deemed appropriate according to standard practice
Mayou and Thompson (2002) UK28	NCCP=107 CCP=218	NCCP: 63% male, mean age 53.07 years (SD=12.2) CCP: 65% male, mean age 65.46 years (SD=9.3)	IHD excluded, according to guidelines. No information on this
Shahid et al (2004) Pakistan29	NCCP=50	64% male. No data on age	Physical exam and ECG
Soares-Filho et al (2009) Brazil30	Pain of undetermined cause (NCCP)=71 Pain of determined cause=59	58.5% male, mean age 61.2 (SD=13.2, range 31–87) NCCP: 53.5% male, mean age 61.9 years (SD=12.8) Determined cause: 64.4% male, mean age 60.4 years (SD=13.6)	Upon admission and every 3 h after CKMB and troponin-I were assessed, an 18-lead ECG on arrival and 12-lead ECG every 3 h after, most patients underwent an echocardiogram. When no MI or rest ischaemia found, exercise stress test, or myocardial scintigraphy was performed
Srinivasan and Joseph (2004) India23	NCCP=109 CCP=206	NCCP: 55.0% male, mean age 39.68 years CCP: 78.6% male, mean age 56.5 years	CAD diagnosed as either documented MI, coronary bypass surgery, angioplasty, coronary angiogram indicative of significant stenosis, abnormality on a treadmill test. NCCP is therefore absence of these

BP, blood pressure; CAD, coronary artery disease; CCP, cardiac chest pain; CKMB, creatine kinase, myocardial type; ED, emergency department; IHD, ischaemic heart disease; MI, myocardial infarction; NCCP, non-cardiac chest pain.